Church Ceremony
Here are the main aspects of the ceremony where music might be played.
The following list refers to a Catholic church ceremony, please don't hesitate to contact us with queries relating to music for ceremonies celebrated in other churches.
Entrance
Lighting of the Separate Candles
Responsorial Psalm*
Alleluia*
Lighting of Marriage Candle
Offertory
Sign of Peace
Communion (2 pieces)
Signing of the Register (2 pieces)
Recessional
******
The following list refers to a Catholic church ceremony, please don't hesitate to contact us with queries relating to music for ceremonies celebrated in other churches.
Entrance
Lighting of the Separate Candles
Responsorial Psalm*
Alleluia*
Lighting of Marriage Candle
Offertory
Sign of Peace
Communion (2 pieces)
Signing of the Register (2 pieces)
Recessional
******
Sample Ceremony
Here is an example of popular pieces which can be played at different parts of the mass.
Most of these pieces however, can be placed in any order, so feel free to rearrange and choose your own selection.
The Entrance and Exit are particularly good areas to include a personal favourite, as these are some of the most memorable moments!
Entrance
Handel – Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Gabriel's Oboe
Pachelbel - Canon in D
Wagner – Wedding March (Here Comes the Bride)
Bob Dylan - To Make You Feel My Love
Ellie Goulding - How Long Will I Love You
Christina Perri - A Thousand Years
Lighting of the Separate Candles
Bach – Air on a G string
Vivaldi's Four Seasons - Largo from Winter
Handel - Lascia Ch'io Pianga
Inis Oirr
Or other similar light background music
Responsorial Psalm*
( Instrumental or with a family member/friend)
Mo Ghrá Thú (Hiding Place)
On Eagle’s Wings
Clouds Veil
Alleluia*( Instrumental)
Seinn Alleluia
Celtic Alleluia
Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah
Mozart - Alleluia from Exsultate Jubilate
Lighting of the Marriage Candle
Bach – Air on a G string
Handel - Hornpipe from Water Music
Vivaldi's Four Seasons - Largo from Winter
Handel - Lascia Ch'io Pianga
Inis Oirr
Or other similar light background music
Offertory
Bach – Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
Schubert – Ave Maria
Bach/ Gounod – Ave Maria
Ag Críost an Síol
A Mhuire Mháthair
Sign of Peace
Tabhair Dom Do Lámh
Make Me A Channel of Your Peace
Bach – Sheep may safely graze
Bach - Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons - Largo from Winter
Mozart - Romanza from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Inis Oirr
Communion (2 Pieces)
Mozart – Ave Verum Corpus
Delibes – Flower Duet
Vivaldi - Spring from The Four Seasons
Handel – Largo from Xerxes
Elgar – Salut d’amour
Gabriel’s Oboe
Signing of the Register (2 Pieces)
Elbow – One Day Like This
Christina Perri -A Thousand Years
"Married Life" from Up
Bob Dylan - Make You Feel My Love
Elton John - Your Song
Coldplay - Paradise
(We might only get to play one, but maybe have a third piece picked just in case!)
Exit
The Beatles - All You Need Is Love
Take That – Greatest Day
Journey - Don't Stop Believing
Coldplay - Viva La Vida
Handel – Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Handel – Hornpipe from Water Music
Mendelssohn - Wedding March
To hear a sample of some of these pieces, go to our Listen page or our YouTube channel.
For our complete list of music visit our repertoire page.
Most of these pieces however, can be placed in any order, so feel free to rearrange and choose your own selection.
The Entrance and Exit are particularly good areas to include a personal favourite, as these are some of the most memorable moments!
Entrance
Handel – Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Gabriel's Oboe
Pachelbel - Canon in D
Wagner – Wedding March (Here Comes the Bride)
Bob Dylan - To Make You Feel My Love
Ellie Goulding - How Long Will I Love You
Christina Perri - A Thousand Years
Lighting of the Separate Candles
Bach – Air on a G string
Vivaldi's Four Seasons - Largo from Winter
Handel - Lascia Ch'io Pianga
Inis Oirr
Or other similar light background music
Responsorial Psalm*
( Instrumental or with a family member/friend)
Mo Ghrá Thú (Hiding Place)
On Eagle’s Wings
Clouds Veil
Alleluia*( Instrumental)
Seinn Alleluia
Celtic Alleluia
Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah
Mozart - Alleluia from Exsultate Jubilate
Lighting of the Marriage Candle
Bach – Air on a G string
Handel - Hornpipe from Water Music
Vivaldi's Four Seasons - Largo from Winter
Handel - Lascia Ch'io Pianga
Inis Oirr
Or other similar light background music
Offertory
Bach – Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
Schubert – Ave Maria
Bach/ Gounod – Ave Maria
Ag Críost an Síol
A Mhuire Mháthair
Sign of Peace
Tabhair Dom Do Lámh
Make Me A Channel of Your Peace
Bach – Sheep may safely graze
Bach - Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons - Largo from Winter
Mozart - Romanza from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Inis Oirr
Communion (2 Pieces)
Mozart – Ave Verum Corpus
Delibes – Flower Duet
Vivaldi - Spring from The Four Seasons
Handel – Largo from Xerxes
Elgar – Salut d’amour
Gabriel’s Oboe
Signing of the Register (2 Pieces)
Elbow – One Day Like This
Christina Perri -A Thousand Years
"Married Life" from Up
Bob Dylan - Make You Feel My Love
Elton John - Your Song
Coldplay - Paradise
(We might only get to play one, but maybe have a third piece picked just in case!)
Exit
The Beatles - All You Need Is Love
Take That – Greatest Day
Journey - Don't Stop Believing
Coldplay - Viva La Vida
Handel – Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Handel – Hornpipe from Water Music
Mendelssohn - Wedding March
To hear a sample of some of these pieces, go to our Listen page or our YouTube channel.
For our complete list of music visit our repertoire page.
Here Come Some Suggestions...
* The Responsorial Psalm and Alleluia are usually spoken or sung as the words are of particular importance. As an instrumental group we can either play the music for these well known suggested pieces without the words, or as an accompaniment for a singer or your Celebrant speaking. Also note the Alleluia is omitted during Lent (2 March - 16 April 2022).
We would recommend that you choose the same piece for both candle ceremonies. The lighting of the candles only requires a very short musical passage, and having the same piece (or two different parts from the same piece) links the two parts together. Alternatively you can choose a slow or light piece for the lighting of the individual candles, and as the lighting of the unity candle is more celebratory, you can reflect this in the music by choosing a really upbeat piece. The choice is yours!
For the Signing of the Register, you will might be in the sacristy or distracted by the photographer. Just bear this in mind as you may or may not hear your favourite songs at this point!
We have an extensive repertoire list from which you can choose your ceremony music. At no extra cost you can add two of your own favourites to this list! We love arranging new songs but as each new piece takes hours to arrange, any additional requests may incur a further charge. Please contact us with any queries you may have in this regard.
Always make sure to check with your Celebrant the suitability of any pieces you would like played. Some dioceses are stricter than others when it comes to song choice but there is usually greater flexibility with an instrumental group for the inclusion of secular and popular tunes. Popular pieces are best included from after the Signing of the Register, just be sure to verify before setting your heart on a particular piece!
To create the perfect welcome for your guests we will play as they arrive at the Church. Generally we will play light classical music, but if there is any music from our repertoire list you would specifically like before the ceremony, do let us know! Also on this point, please ensure the Church is available to us from at least an hour before the ceremony so we have adequate time to set up, warm up and decide the optimum location for us to play (or let us know if there is another wedding beforehand).
Make sure the person in charge of distributing the Mass booklets also leaves one in place for the Bride and Groom!
We are happy to accompany singers, other instrumentalists or family members who wish to sing or play at any part of the Mass. We rehearse with these musicians on the day in the church. Any extra rehearsals are subject to a fee.
We are based in Cork, but are available for ceremonies in Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Waterford and Tipperary.